The Cespedes Memorial Park in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province / Korea Times photo by Jung Min-ho

Cespedes may be first Westerner who came here ― with Bible

By Jung Min-ho

CHANGWON, South Gyeongsang Province ― Who was the first Westerner to step on Korean soil? For a long time, many people believed it was Jan Janse de Weltevree, a Dutchman who was washed ashore in 1653, and then Joao Mendes, a Portuguese trader whom they thought arrived 50 years before him.

Who brought the first Bible to Korea? This was another question that long remained unanswered, though Seocheon County claimed that Murray Maxwell, a British Royal Navy officer, did so when he visited the town in 1816.

The monument of the first recorded Westerner who came to Korea ― with the Bible

Today many historians, including National Institute of Korean History President Cho Kwang, agree that Gregorious de Cespedes, a Spanish Jesuit priest, was the first recorded Westerner who came to Korea ― with the Bible in 1593.

Yet his name is barely known here largely because it was Japanese Catholic general Konishi Yukinaga who invited the priest to Korea while Japan invaded the country.

According to Cho, Cespedes stayed in the Woongcheon Japanese Fortress for a year, doing missionary work for both Japanese and Koreans and then returned to Japan, where he spent the rest of his life until he died in December 1611.

Those who are interested in learning more about the history may want to visit the Cespedes Memorial Park, which opened in Jinhae County two years ago.

There, visitors can see a monument that provides some information about Cespedes as well as walls decorated with his face and symbols of Spain.

But the park seems to draw little attention from people and the Changwon City Government is reluctant to promote the place because of historical controversies surrounding Cespedes, who had close ties with Japan that caused tremendous pains to Korea for many generations.

A Changwon City Government tourism official said he is concerned that the improvement of the site may draw more tourists with more controversies.

The sculpture and history records of one of the most revered Christians in Korea

Hometown of a revered Christian martyr

Today, it is difficult to drive downtown of any big city in Korea without seeing several church buildings. And it doesn't take much courage to go into one of those buildings.

But it wasn't long ago that, to become Christians, people had to risk everything they had.

Under Japan's colonial rule from 1910 to 1945, many Christians, like the revered Joo Ki-chul, were tortured and killed for refusing to pay reverence at Shinto shrines.

Born in 1897 in Changwon, Joo turned to Jesus Christ and became a pastor in 1925. It was a beginning of a tough journey as a defender of the faith.

He stood up to Japan's coercion and, in 1938, was put in prison, where he suffered years of torture. Joo died there on April 21 1944.

The city government opened a memorial hall to honor him in 2015. In the building, which is in the walking distance from the Cespedes Memorial Park, visitors can see photos of Joo and other Christian martyrs in Korea as well as their stories of suffering.

Joo's old pulpit and letters to fellow Christians are among the things displayed there.

It is a great place to learn about how the Protestant Church was planted in Korea, where 29 percent of the population now consider themselves Christians.

For many Christians, it is also a good place to reflect, repent and remind themselves of what they should live for.